Research Methodology

Research Design
Sample Design
Data Collection
Field Work

In the course of two weeks a research project was undertaken with the expressed purpose
of designing a survey aimed at gathering primary research on the readership or Florida
International University’s school newspaper: The Beacon.

Research Design
The subsequent study was of a descriptive nature. Results were gathered using a survey
created by six students. This survey consisted of two sections. The first section of the survey
gathered primary information on the respondent including: gender, age, affiliation with the
university, major, familiarity with the Beacon, frequency of readership of the Beacon, reasons for
reading the Beacon, part of the paper read first, frequency of how often the respondent read
certain sections, whether or not certain sections were deemed a “waste of space”, concurrence
with statements about the Beacon, overall satisfaction, recommendations, type of stories
preferred and a question regarding the distribution and convenience of the Beacon. Section B
appended section A if the respondent noted that they did not read the Beacon. The purpose of
section B was to ascertain any reason why the respondent did not read the school newspaper.
Due to the nature of this project and its purpose of gathering primary information from
individual respondents a survey was deemed the most appropriate method. Using a survey saved
time, enabled respondents to answer with confidence of confidentiality and aided in gathering
and compiling results.

Sample Design
The target population for this study was the population of Florida International
University’s Biscayne Bay campus, also the sampling frame. The sampling frame (working
population) could be described as all students attending the Biscayne Bay campus. This survey
was carried out using random sampling thus no specific sampling unit is present nor was any
method employed to gain one. However, for this project 200 students were approached. Each of
the six surveyors was responsible for roughly 32 surveys disseminated. The response rate for the
project is 100 percent.
 Data Collection and Field Work
Establishing the degree of accuracy for this project can be discerned by the manner in
which it was undertaken. In the first week of surveying the group of six surveyors was divided
into pairs. Each pair conducted the survey at different locations throughout Biscayne Bay
Campus. It should be noted that the surveyors are themselves undergraduate students from the
same class. At the end of this first attempt, which was responsible for roughly half of the surveys
completed, each surveyor conducted the remaining surveys individually. This was done due to
conflicts of schedules on behalf of the surveyors. Instructions were simple: complete all the
forms and return them to the group for analysis. At the third meeting of the group it became
apparent that a 100 percent response rate had not been achieved. To resolve this issue the
surveyor group quickly completed the remaining surveys to achieve the goal of 200 surveys
completed. All surveyors were aware of the need to give adequate space and time to the
respondents and to retrieve the surveys with respect.

Analysis
Having accomplished a 100 percent response rate, analysis of the findings was assigned
to one group member. The methods used to analyze include cross-tabulation and cross-checking.
This allowed the group to compile the results of the survey and process it for an appropriate
presentation using graphs and tables.
Demographics of Respondents